


Tall, dark and handsome, like a good cup of coffee

by ximeria



Series: Given enough coffee, I could rule the world [2]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ensemble Cast, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-19
Updated: 2011-10-09
Packaged: 2017-10-23 21:26:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik's first days at the mansion bring confusion, surprises (life-altering as well as small ones)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in a current day universe. I wanted to write a slightly different setup, wanted to blur the lines between Erik's determination (which I've played fast and loose with *g*) and Charles' idealism and naivety.
> 
> Son of Note: This is my writing experience/experiment/comfy- zone and ongoing writing project.

Erik looked at the sweat pants and shirt on the end of the bed. He'd just finally managed to stand for long enough to have a shower on his own. So far Charles had offered three times to help him, but while Erik was sure he meant it well enough, Erik wasn't quite up to having shower sex yet.

Because it would end in sex, there was no doubt about it. It had been two days since he'd woken up in an unfamiliar bed in what seemed to be a huge ass mansion in Westchester. The academy, school, that Charles had told him about. Not quite how he had intended to visit, but he was there, nevertheless.

He'd woken up to find Charles next to him more than once since then, and while Charles was clearly interested, Erik had barely been able to keep his eyes open for more than ten minutes at a time. Also, Charles had, more than once, muttered something about the doctor having his head if he overexerted Erik.

What struck Erik as a bit odd was that he hadn't seen anyone else since he'd gotten there. Well, apart from Kurt, who'd looked in on him several times to see if he needed anything. Normally Erik wasn't overly fond of children, mostly because he wasn't used to them, but Kurt was quiet and sweet, and knowing he was Charles' nephew, Erik did what he could to appear at ease around him.

He constantly fought so hard to not show just how stir-crazy and paranoid he was feeling, from being in a place he didn't know, surrounded by people he hadn't seen, didn't know if he could trust.

Charles had said they'd talk, yet they still had to do just that, didn't they?

Charles knew about Erik's powers, but nothing about Erik's past - unless of course he wasn't speaking the truth and had gone sifting through Erik's mind.

It wasn't a pleasant thought.

With it came the realization that even with such a worry, Erik found himself _wanting_ to trust Charles.

That should have been an even less pleasant thought, but it wasn't.

So, while Charles knew of Erik's powers, Erik knew of Charles'. To some extend at least, because Erik couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Charles' admitting that he was the most powerful telepath in the world in the circuitous way he'd done it.

It seemed almost like an impossible task to dress, but Erik managed it, and he was silently glad that someone had thought sweats would be a good idea, because he was pretty sure he'd never have managed his customary jeans.

Once dressed in the sweat pants he sat back down on the bed and took a deep breath. He felt winded and beyond tired. He couldn't recall having pushed his powers that hard since his escape from the camp, since he'd… Erik clamped down on the memories, banishing them to the back of his mind.

Even then he couldn't recall it having been quite this bad. Holding up an entire building, keeping it from crushing Charles, because that had been the single thought on his mind. To protect Charles.

Now there was an even scarier thought, and it stopped Erik as he made to get back up. With that explosion he'd lost his home, the few things he'd had to his name, but above all, he'd obviously lost his mind and survival instinct.

Since the camp he'd kept his head down, had held people at an arm's length. Had made sure to put himself first, look after himself, because no one else would do it for him.

Erik pulled the shirt over and slowly put it on. He longed to have his usual strength back. Physical as well as the familiar humming of metal around him. There was barely an echo of it at the moment and although Charles had told him to give it time, saying that overdoing it as he had, he shouldn't worry, Erik couldn't help himself.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Allowed his breathing, his heartbeat to relax. Ten minutes later, plus a pair of socks and a pair of trainers, he stood, breathing a little harder, the door.

 _'Are you alright?'_

Charles voice drifted to him and Erik wondered, with hint of wariness, if Charles was keeping tabs on him.

 _'No, don't worry - just skimming your surface emotions to see that you hadn't managed to hurt yourself in the shower,'_ Charles replied to the unvoiced question. _'I got held up downstairs - but if you want to go out and have some fresh air…,_ he offered.

Erik saw images of what looked like hallway with dark wood panels, was guided along, through a darkish room, walls lined with books, until he came to a balcony, beyond a set of glass doors.

 _'Help yourself, my friend. I'll come find you when I've dealt with… well, I'll explain later.'_

There was, Erik noticed, a certain level of annoyance to Charles' tone, but there was little he could do currently to figure out what was going on. First priority would be to get stronger, to have a look around, know what he was dealing with.

Opening the door, he found the hallway that Charles had shown him. There were no voices out there, nothing to tell him that there were any people about. Charles had never told him how many students there were, but surely, there would be enough to make some sort of noise that would make the place seem like less of a… haunted house.

It didn't help his feeling of unease that all along the hallway, he didn't meet anyone, didn't see or hear anyone. However, he kept that feeling securely under wrap - he didn't want Charles to hear it.

He stopped dead just on the threshold of the library Charles had shown him. It was even bigger than he'd expected, based on Charles' images. It was… Erik took a deep breath. Well, it was a school, there should be books, never mind that he would have done just about anything during his own teens to have access to something like this.

Ahead, straight through the room, were a couple of tall glass doors, opening out onto a balcony. Erik took a deep breath, opened them and stepped outside, already feeling less claustrophobic. The balcony looked out onto a large stretch of open land. Flat grass flanked by wooden areas on either side. It was… almost idyllic.

Now, however, Erik could hear voices in the distance, shouts and laughter. Something loosened inside of him and he felt he could breathe even easier now. The sky was overcast, but there was no sign of rain, just grey sky and green grass and somewhere out there, were other people, no longer just the absence of them or the mere theoretical existence.

Some of the voices came closer, but Erik could tell it was somewhere below, somewhere on ground level and he went to lean on the parapet, enjoying being outside again.

The voices rose even more and Erik could hear curses and name calling as well. Ah, so maybe the school wasn't quite as utopian a setting as he'd expected.

Somehow, Erik suddenly knew that he wasn't alone. His aching body tightened, his muscles shaking with the urge to either fight or flee. Slowly turning around, Erik found a guy a few heads shorter than him, watching him with a calculating look. He was wearing a pair of well-worn jeans and a tight t-shirt that did little in hiding the compact muscles. The kind one didn't get from a gym, but from real life fighting and working.

Although Erik's powers weren't really back and available to him, he felt weird around the man, as if there was something off and it resonated with Erik's constant awareness of metal around him.

The guy lifted one eyebrow at him then sauntered over to lean over the parapet himself. He pulled out a half smoked cigar and lit it. Something whistled up past his head and exploded in a rain of sparks.

Erik jumped but the man merely leaned out even farther, an annoyed look on his face. "You brats are quittin' this fight _now_ , unless you want me down there putting a stop to it for you!"

There was a moment of quiet, then the boom of another explosion and Erik watched in amazement as a lanky teenager, barely more than fifteen was pushed up past the balcony by what looked like a pillar of ice. He twisted his body and gracefully fell back down to land like a skilled acrobat on the parapet, right between Erik and the gruff looking man.

"LeBeau, you and Drake are heading for a private training session with me, if you keep carrying on like this." The man's voice was low and menacing.

Erik turned his head to find another teenage boy pushing himself up on a pillar of ice similar to the one he'd seen the other being thrown upwards by.

"The professor wouldn't let you," Drake said.

Erik could tell he wasn't completely sure of that statement himself.

"You're making empty t'reat, Monsieur Logan" LeBeau said, trace of a French accent thickening his voice.

"Kiddo, one: I never make empty threats and two: if Charles thinks I'm right and you need me to kick you around until you can behave civilized, he'll let me." The last was said with a menacingly toothy grin.

Both boys eyed Erik with some curiosity, but rather quickly scrambled from the balcony, shoving at each other as they tried to get through the door at the same time.

Erik couldn't quite shake the shiver that had run down his back when he'd caught one of the boys' eyes. Almost demonically red, an unearthly shine to them.

Logan shook his head, with a rumbled, annoyed noise. "One of these days they'll either end up killing each other or fucking each others' brains out. I'm not sure which option's preferable," he added with a chuckle.

Erik didn't answer, just stared at him. He was unsure what to say to such a blatant comment about two teenagers.

It seemed Logan could follow his thoughts fairly well, because he made a face. "I don't mind either, as long as they stop fighting on campus grounds and inside the school - they have trouble follow Charles' rule of 'no powers in the house'." He drew a breath through his cigar, "well, Charles is okay with the powers inside, but those two are a little too destructive when they get each other riled up."

"Courtship?" Erik guessed, feeling like this was one of the most bizarre conversations he'd had in years.

"Probably," Logan agreed, "LeBeau's a terrible flirt and Drake's not feeling easy in his own skin, let alone ready to question his heterosexuality."

"And you're a teacher here?" Erik managed to finally ask. He was a little thrown by the man seemingly just having this conversation with him like it was the most natural thing in the world. At the same time; Erik got the creepiest vibe from him. Like no matter how he looked at him, this man was the dangerous kind.

Logan snorted. "Something like that," he said, staring out over the open lawn. Finally he turned his head. "You're one of Charles' strays, though I have to admit, they're normally a lot younger and he doesn’t…" Logan sniffed the air and a mirthless grin spread on his face, "normally share a bed with them."

Erik felt his ire rising, his body almost shaking with tension. First of all he didn't like the way Logan spoke of Charles, nor was _he_ a stray that needed taking in.

"Logan, you're wanted downstairs."

Erik turned and recognized the speaker. Charles had introduced them when Alex had picked Charles up a week earlier.

Logan just gave Alex a raised eyebrow.

Alex in turn shot Logan an annoyed look. "I was asked to tell you, you're wanted in the training area."

Logan made a rude noise, but nevertheless stubbed out his cigar, flicking the bud over the parapet, before walking back inside, like he owned the world. He brushed by Alex who didn't so much as flinch.

God, Erik just wanted to go home, never mind the fact that his home was in ruins, that he'd probably lost his job now that he hadn't been in for a few days. He'd completely forgotten to ask Charles about that, about…

"Lehnsherr," Alex said with a nod. He then sighed almost explosively. "I'm sorry about that, but if you stick around you'll get used to Logan's sunny disposition."

Erik didn't reply, just raised an eyebrow.

"No, seriously," Alex said with a laugh. "Welcome to Greymalkin Lane, the Xavier School for gifted youngsters - or as I think you've noticed, Mutant Central and all around a pretty chaotic place."

"Actually, it's been remarkably quiet since I first woke up," Erik admitted. He watched Alex and paid attention to his body language, but where he'd felt wary around Logan, Alex made him feel more at ease.

"Charles asked everyone to give you some space so you could recuperate in peace," Alex admitted with a shrug. "Actually, speaking of Charles, he sent me to make you an offer."

Erik instantly stiffened. He hadn't expected Charles to do things this way.

 _'Hear him out,'_ Charles voice suddenly whispered in his mind. _'Please - You can tell him 'no' - I'm not so sure that you would deny me, even if you thought it wasn't what you wanted.'_ The latter was added with a mixture of warmth and worry.

"Look, Charles didn't tell me why he wanted _me_ to be the one to make the offer, but it's important to him and all he's asking is that _you_ make the choice, without any influence from his side." Alex held up a hand. "I'm very well aware that he's still communicating with you and just, what the fuck, Charles!? What happened to staying out of this conversation, for his sake?" Alex's question was asked into thin air and the face he made told Erik that he'd received an answer.

"Really, seriously, he's devoted to the case for a decade and then you come along and he starts breaking his own fucking rules," Alex growled under his breath.

"I suggest you make your offer," Erik said quietly. As long as one of the options included leaving, he would hear it out. As much as he felt attracted to Charles, no matter how much he liked him and how much he wanted him, twelve years worth of running and hiding wasn't something he could just forget.

"Right, okay…" Alex stared at him for a moment, chewing on his lower lip. "You're a mutant, that's a given - couldn't have pulled that stunt you did, holding up the building just long enough for Kurt to get you out, and…" Alex held up a hand to forestall Erik.

Wanting to deny it seemed stupid, but it was so ingrained in Erik, that it was a hard fight.

"Thank you," Alex said quietly, taking one step forward, holding out his hand.

Erik stared at it for a moment.

"Thank you for saving Charles," Alex clarified.

Erik took his hand, shaking it slowly. He could feel the vibration of the ring Alex wore around his thumb and it quieted his anxiety a little.

"You know that we're mutants here, either Charles told you or you made the deduction - of course verified by two of our resident hotheads," Alex continued, having let go of Erik's hand. "Now, the offer… see, you can leave, if you want to. We're aware that you lost most of your things when the building collapsed, but we're funded well enough that we can easily supply you with any means you'd need for a new start."

Erik gestured for him to go on. It was a sound offer to open with and Erik knew that Charles had devised it this way. That he would have known not to push Erik into a corner right away. It of course didn't necessarily mean that the offer he was about to be given, would appeal to him in any way.

"The alternative is staying here, helping out, maybe even joining the 'Cause'," Alex took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "This is where it gets difficult, because if you stay, you'll see things that aren't easily hidden, things we can't afford the risk of too many people knowing."

"I don't know what Charles has told you," Erik said quietly, his mind racing a mile a minute. "I'm not interested in being part of the cause. I'm not an idealist like Charles is."

Alex snorted, "You've known him for a short time, Lehnsherr, seriously, he may be an idealist but he's not naïve _or_ stupid."

"Maybe not, but he fights for a cause using words, playing the bureaucratic game, and as much as I know someone has to, he's… I…" Erik rubbed his eyes, he was getting a hell of a headache. "I still don't get how he can keep going. I mean, I know that there are factions out there who do more, like the X-men, but I'm not sure I can handle standing by the sidelines and watching him get squashed in the process." There it was, the words that Erik hadn't been capable of finding earlier, why he couldn't agree with Charles when they had discussed it during one of their lunch dates. He was afraid, for Charles, and god damn it, if he hadn't just admitted this to a total stranger.

A stranger who was smiling softly at him. "You need to make this choice, but let me ask you something." Alex closed his eyes and frowned. Opening them again, he growled deep in his throat. "I know what I'm doing Charles, fuck off."

Erik couldn't help sniggering and Alex shot him an irritated look.

"Seriously, I'm used to the mother henning, but when it comes to you, he's impossible!"

Erik felt his face flush.

"Adorable," Alex said sarcastically, but he was still smiling. "Right, so, you know of the X-men of course, who doesn't. Now, compared to the way Charles fights the cause, and make no mistake the cause is the same, how do you view the X-men's way of doing it?"

Shrugging, Erik fell back onto the wary feeling. "What they do is invaluable," he admitted. "I know that we're not well seen by all humans, but not all humans hate us - and I know that not all mutants are good, but some use their powers for the wrong reasons and to do the wrong things," he said, squashing the memory of just how wrong those things could be. "The X-men fight equally. They will protect mutants when needed, and they protect humans as well - no matter the opponent."

Alex nodded, his smile widening. "What's the difference in the way Charles works?"

"He tries to convince people that we're not dangerous."

Alex shook his head. "You've never attended one of his lectures, have you? No, he informs, he tries to make people see that accidents happen if powerful individuals are left untrained, that in the wrong hands, like any weapon, mutant powers can be lethal. He tries to open their eyes, not pull the wool over them."

Erik nodded slowly. "I can see that, but it's still idealism."

Alex shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with idealism if it's mixed with a healthy dosage of knowledge and sense of reality. Which is why I want you to take the red pill."

"What red pill?" Erik fought down his confusion.

"Man, where have you been the past decade?" Alex asked with exasperation clear in his voice. "I want you to really consider the option of staying - and not just because I know Charles would pine if you left," he added sardonically. "I think you'll find staying here will give you a hell of a lot more than leaving ever could."

"And if I change my mind later?" Erik asked.

Alex sighed heavily. "I can't say for sure, but if Charles trusts you, no problem - if he doesn't, he might tweak your memories for you to forget what I'm about to show you."

"You're being very honest with me," Erik said slowly. He wanted to leap at the first offer, to go away, to start anew, on his own, but he also knew that it was years of ingrained solitude and wariness more than any actual wish to do so.

On the other hand, staying would mean Charles, even if Charles might not feel the same way, underneath all the naked want he'd already displayed. Because that could only get them so far. Erik nodded before he could stop himself. Even if that was all, how could he leave without giving it at least a chance?

Alex seemed to go from tense to broad smiling happiness from one moment to the next. "You won't regret it - trust me, you'll see, this is so cool."

"That remains to be seen," Erik reluctantly said. The kid's mood was infectious but that niggling worry was still there. One thing was sharing coffee and dinner and conversations on their different points of view, but living so close together?

"And you'll see what I meant when I said that Charles isn't naïve," Alex said with a wink, leading him back inside.

Erik walked at a steady pace, and while it was slower than what he'd normally do, he at least didn't feel quite as tired as he had the day he'd first woken up in the mansion. "Where are we going?"

"Down stairs," Alex said, leading him to an elevator, cleverly hidden within the wooden wall panels. "You'll get to meet more of the gang and I think you'll understand once you do - all the smoke and mirrors stuff."

Erik stepped inside the gleaming metal box and oddly enough he instantly felt better. His powers might have been overtaxed, but they were still there, the awareness of metal underneath it all, if still faint.

The elevator was pretty high tech from what Erik could tell, because the only thing revealing that they were moving, was the feel of the metal descending. Nothing else gave it away.

The doors opened and Erik followed Alex out into a log, white hallway. Erik felt the urge to run again, but he once again pushed it back. What if this turned out to be something that he'd kick himself for missing the rest of his life? Sure, he feared having his memories taken away, and he'd fight Charles every step of the way. It sent a chill down his spine to think he might miss memories of his short acquaintance with Charles, and if there was the slightest chance…

Alex stopped in front of a panel where he tapped in a string of code. "Looks like it's all clear to go into the observation room," he said, the door sliding open as he gestured for Erik to follow.

Inside was a darker room filled with computer monitors, big as well as small ones, looking far more advanced than anything Erik had ever seen before. In a chair, his feet up on a console, sat Logan, next to him a red headed youth, who gave Erik a quick, curious look, before looking out through the large glass section in front of them. Behind them stood a tall dark-haired man, arms crossed over his chest with a small smile on his face.

"If fur-face catches you doing this without his supervision, Chuck, he'll have your head," Logan said with a grin, giving Erik a sideways look. "I also don't think your boyfriend wants to see you over-exert yourself …this way."

"Can it, Logan," Charles' reply came clear over hidden loud speakers somewhere in the room, "and I told Alex to bring Erik to the conference room, not in here!" The last was a squeak, which drew Erik forward to look through the observation window.

His breath caught in his throat, Erik stared. Down below was a surreal setting of grassland that went on for miles. Blue skies and…

"It's a holographic projection," Alex told him, grin evident in his voice. "Well, more than that, think Star Trek and holodeck . We're a bit ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to tech."

However, it was no longer the strange setting that captivated Erik. Down below, he watched Charles. He watched Charles _walking_ across the grass, staring up at him with a mixture of surprise, sheepishness and unbridled joy.

"Thought Forge wasn't ready for testing the suit just yet," Alex said next to Erik.

"It is ready for a first test," the dark haired man replied, stepping over to them.

"Mr. Lehnsherr, Forge, Forge, Mr. Erik Lehnsherr," Alex introduced them. "Red-head over there is Sean, Logan you've already met."

"Suit?" Erik asked, still having trouble understanding what he was seeing. Most of all, Charles on his feet.

 _'Come on down,'_ Charles told him, indicating that he should enter through a door in the left side of the observation booth. It slid open when Erik stepped over to it, and he went out onto a platform that instantly began descending until he was standing on the ground, greeted by an ecstatic Charles.

"It's not a cure," he told Erik, as he gripped his shoulders, grinning widely, "but the exo-suit allows me to move by using my telepathic powers to operate it, make it work."

"It's only a prototype, Charles," Forge called from the observation room, "your vitals are looking okay, but I think you should stop for today."

"Just a few more minutes, Forge," Charles called back, not taking his eyes from Erik's. "I kinda got sidetracked when we were discussing how much to show you, so I feel less prepared for this than I should have."

"All this," Erik managed to get out, reaching out for Charles, but not quite daring to touch the black suit.

"Looks like something out of Tron, doesn't it?" Charles said with a grin.

Erik shrugged. "It looks… weird."

"You can touch, you know," Charles said in a low voice, taking his hand and placing it on his hip. He looked down at the hand for a moment, then back up at Erik, a small contended, smile on his face.

Erik could feel the faint humming of circuitry lining the suit. "You're so short," Erik said, startled that he hadn't managed to keep that to himself. But it was true. He'd only ever seem Charles either on the bed with him or in the wheelchair and he always seemed larger than life.

"Thank you," Charles said drily, draping his arms up over Erik's shoulders, leaning into him.

"Sorry," Erik said with an unrepentant grin. "You are, you know."

"We can't all be tall, dark and handsome," Charles said with snort.

"Good," Erik replied, leaning down slowly, watching Charles' lips. "Short and cute is more my type, it seems." He was surprised that he felt so at ease with Charles. He wasn't used to flirting with people, but being around Charles seemed to unearth parts of him that he hadn't know were there.

"Hey," Charles said, mock upset. "Enough with the short."

"Of 'short' and 'cute' - it's the former that bothers you?" Erik asked, barely keeping the laughter out of his voice.

"Cute get's me underestimated," Charles whispered against his lips.

"Charles, your vitals are looking less good, you might want to," Forge's voice broke in.

Charles' eyes widened when his legs gave out from under him and Erik only just managed to catch him. They sank to the ground as Erik realized he wasn't strong enough to hold them both. He silently cursed his body's slow recuperation rate.

"Charles," he said worriedly, holding Charles close.

"Don't worry," Charles said weakly, "I think I might've overdone it. Forge?"

"I shut the suit down, Charles - you were losing your hold over it and it was overtaxing your power." Forge walked across the grass to them.

Erik looked up to find the rest of them there as well.

"I got a bit distracted," Charles admitted, arms still around Erik's shoulders.

"You're a menace, distracted or not, Charles," a voice interrupted from somewhere behind Erik.

Erik looked over his shoulder and realized that another door had opened and surreal as it was, he was staring at a hole in the grassy vista.

However, not as surreal as the man who'd spoken, who was now kneeling next to them.

"Charles, what are we going to do with you?"

"Hank, just get my wheelchair," Charles said, voice even but with a hint of the earlier joy still there.

Erik just stared. Because he knew who this was. And this would be why Charles had kept him from accidentally seeing specific people in the house. Because seeing Beast, one of the easiest recognizable members of the X-men would have been a dead giveaway.

In his arms, Charles chuckled. "Yeah, it would've been. Erik, Hank McCoy, Hank, say hello to a conscious Erik Lehnsherr."

The blue furred man crouched next to them, and he gave Erik an exasperated look. "If you're indeed staying, could I possibly ask you to help me keep Charles on a shorter leash?"

"Hey, I'm right here," Charles complained.

"Yes, but sometimes dealing with you is like dealing with a child," Hank complained. "I told you to wait with the testing until I was here."

"Yes, mommy," Charles said, annoyance clear in his voice.

Hank sighed deeply. "Just for that, I'm not getting your wheelchair, I'm carrying you, whether you want to or not." With that, he lifted Charles from Erik's lap, hefted him up like he was a damsel in distress, much to Charles obvious annoyance.

Looking down at Erik, Hank, grinned toothily, shifted Charles so he was hanging over his shoulder instead, before offering Erik his free hand. Erik didn't think twice about taking the proffered hand up and let himself be pulled to his feet. He swayed for a moment, but Hank had a good hold on him.

"Easy, there." Nodding at Alex, Hank let him take Erik's weight. "I think we'll move to the conference room, okay?"

Charles grumbled his consent, looking very put out with his new position, draped over Hank's shoulder. Erik followed them, still with Alex at his side in case he keeled over again. He felt completely blank for a moment. And he'd thought meeting Charles had turned it upside down already. Obviously even more than he'd thought and with more to come.

Ahead of them, Charles planted his hands on Hank's hips and pushed himself up to look at Erik. "Welcome to the headquarters of the X-men," he said, a wide, satisfied grin on his face.


	2. (without sugar)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Charles is a shameless flirt and Erik makes a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, this part wasn't planned. All I had in my head was the scene where Erik sits at the table, feeling a bit like Alice down the rabbit hole, more than a little out of his depth. Then it sort of just begged to be written and as this is just that, courting the muses, writing when the urge hits, call it what you want, how could I refuse?
> 
> It ended up as a chapter - as it isn't so much a part of its own as it's an extension of the previous scene, if that makes any sense *g*

Erik looked around, trying to guess who was who. He couldn't help himself. Less than an hour earlier, he'd been contemplating leaving and now he was seated at a round table (very Arthurian, Erik thought, feeling Charles amusement projected back at him), the other seats taken by various members of the X-men.

"We're not even all here," Charles told him, patiently allowing McCoy to peel the suit off his shoulders.

Erik very carefully did not look or focus or _think_ about the bared skin. Judging from the slight flush of Charles' face he wasn't doing all that well.

Sniggers from around the table pretty much supported that impression.

"But," Charles continued, glaring everyone into silence as he accepted the t-shirt McCoy handed him, "you've met Logan already, Alex, Sean, Hank and Forge, who isn't so much a team member as a friend of the family."

Forge gave him a nod in return, a small smile curving his lips as he studied Erik.

"There are several others here you'll get to meet," Charles ploughed on, then came to a grinding halt. He studied Erik for a moment. "That is, if you want to stay."

So he wasn't reading Erik's thoughts, which, quite frankly surprised Erik a little. Had he been in Charles' shoes, he would have been nervous about his choice, enough to possibly abuse his powers to at least know the answer.

"Ooh, no cheating," Sean whispered far too loudly to Alex who was sitting next to him, "must be seriously in…" Sean's eyes widened and he turned his head to look at Charles who was hiding his glare fairly well, only the annoyed furrow between his eyes gave him away.

"Erik?" Charles asked evenly.

Logan snorted next to him, but Erik, as far as he could tell, couldn't detect any animosity in his relaxed posture and amused expression.

Charles sighed deeply. "That's it, everybody out - I'd normally say it's a team decision and a team inauguration, but you're all acting rather immaturely." He glared around the table, " _Thinking_ very immaturely," he corrected.

"Ah, come on, Chuck," Logan said, a broad grin on his face and although Erik could tell he was amused, the grin was more than a little predatorily, sending a shiver down his spine.

"No, because none of you are capable of treating this as for what it is, a warm, congenial welcome to another mutant, who may be interested in staying with us, possibly even training with the team." Charles' eyes never left Erik's.

They all looked at Charles like something was off. Even to Erik it sounded a little too rehearsed.

"Et tu, Brute," Charles muttered, shooting Erik a dark look. "Like I said: out, all of you" he commanded, "you, however…" he continued, pinning Erik with a glare, well, what was supposed to be a glare but which did nothing but make Erik's pulse beat a little faster than normally and very much not out of fear.

"Oh, for god's sake," McCoy muttered under his breath. "You," he said to Erik, his yellow eyes gleaming in the artificial light. "Don't overexert him, and bring him down to my lab after you're done …talking. I still want a look on his levels." With a quick move, he kept Charles in place and held a small thing to his arm, the clear cylinder filling with blood. "I'll analyze this now and then I want more later, Charles."

"I can get down to your lab," Charles said with a pout, "no need to tell Erik to bring me, you vampire."

McCoy snorted, "He seems more sane than you do, Charles and a hell of a lot more concerned with your health than I can hope you'll ever be - I've left your chair outside this room, use it. While I'm sure Lehnsherr is normally a good, strong man, I don't want him overexerted either."

"Yes, mother," Charles muttered, his cheeks flushing again.

McCoy stood and patted him, more than a little condescendingly, on the head.

Alex moved around the table, hesitantly putting his hand on Erik's shoulder. "Welcome aboard," he said quietly and Erik couldn't detect anything but genuine friendliness in his tone of voice and the look on his face.

"Thank you," he managed to get out. There were so many repercussions if he stayed. If he didn't leave, he'd have Charles, if he stayed, he'd in danger of one day hurting Charles, or Charles breaking his heart. Erik wasn't used to having other people around, constantly - and so many, too. He could hurt someone, his control wasn't always airtight. He'd expose himself, attract attention…

On the other hand, if he wasn't mistaken, he'd just been offered a possible spot with the X-men and while he was no fighter, he was knew where his hero worship lay.

Not to mention… Charles. If he declined, Charles might take the memories of knowing him.

Everyone filed out, Sean giving him a sloppy salute in welcome, most of the others just a nod, though Logan eyed him speculatively and Erik decided that he was most definitely one to avoid being alone with.

"I'd say Logan's all bark and no bite," Charles said as the door closes behind the team. "But I'd be lying if I did. He's a bit protective of me."

"Ex-boyfriend?" Erik ground out, because that would be one obstacle if he was staying.

Charles' eyes widened comically. "Jeez, Erik. No! Logan's… Logan's…," he shivers. "I've always been a shameless flirt," he admitted, "but Logan's more like an older brother to me."

Erik shrugged and tried to project 'what's it to me anyway?'

Charles' eyes softened. "Erik, I don't normally go around crawling into people's beds, yours having been the exception. What Logan and I have stems from my reckless teens and how I ended up in the wheelchair. I helped save his sanity as he helped save my life. I wouldn't have been here today if not for him."

Erik nodded slowly. He could even allow himself to feel a certain wave of thankfulness towards Logan. If for nothing else, without him, it seemed, he'd never have met Charles in the first place.

Of course, possibly, he also wouldn't have had a building dumped on his head either.

"So…," Charles said, biting his lower lip. "You want to have this conversation now or do you want to go upstairs, 'help' me out of the suit and into a nice, warm bath for a soak?"

"Charles…" Erik couldn't help but roll his eyes at it. Charles hadn't even projected any images at him, but there was no mistaking the offer.

"Oh, come on, it's not like you weren't thinking it from the moment you saw me in the other room, an even more so when before I put on the t-shirt." Charles closed his eyes for a moment, licking his lips before opening them again. "And no, I did not read your mind for that one," he said with a wink.

Erik slowly got to his feet. "So, how many cameras are currently on in here?" he asked. While he might laugh at Charles' antics, he did want very much to kiss him.

Charles narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure they're just keeping an eye on us because they worry about me." Then the look on his face took on a strangely playful air. "Come over here for a moment," he said, honey sweet.

Erik arched an eyebrow at him, but didn't move. He may not have known Charles for all that long, but he wasn't stupid. "I'll just stay right here," he says with a smirk. "I'm not into public sex."

"Just wanted a kiss," Charles said, giving him a sad look, but echoing Erik's urge so sweetly. "I could make you," he added, a shrewd look replacing the puppy dog eyes.

Erik rolled his eyes. "You won't though," he replied - and he believed it, he truly did, because Charles had all the power to be considered dangerous, but he was genuinely a good guy, or so Erik was beginning to believe …and trust.

Charles smiled softly. "You're right, I wouldn't."

Erik shook his head. What the heck was he supposed to do with this …infatuation of his? Every time he thought it was just physical, Charles would say something or acts in a way that made Erik's chest constrict and then expand almost painfully.

He walked around the table, heading for the door, fully intending to just get the wheelchair before they embarrassed themselves any more than they already had. Then Erik stopped, right as he passed by Charles, who was watching him with curiosity.

Erik quirked a grin, leaned down and gave Charles a chaste kiss, too quick for a surprised Charles to react and Erik was at the door before he heard the almost strangled noise from Charles. He turned a little and caught the absolutely gobsmacked look on Charles' face. He felt almost giddy as Charles' raised a hand, seemingly not consciously, touching his lips.

As he put his hands on the metal of the wheelchair, Erik smiled a little. He could hear the metal as a faint echo just then. Seemed he'd finally been resting enough for his power to return, if only a little. He felt more at ease knowing he'd be able to hold his own, protect himself.

Maybe it was about time he allowed himself a chance at something new, something bigger. Something that didn't involve hiding, keeping his head down.

**Author's Note:**

> I've played fast and loose with comic canon, movie canon, timelines and all that shit, just cuz I can *g*. Including hinting at the first ever pairing I wrote in comic verse x-men, just cuz I could ;P


End file.
